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Anti-aging drinks are beginning to hit the market. But do they really work? ...

No Magic Bullet ... Yet

We all know we can live longer and stay healthier, if we just get more exercise, eat a nutritious diet and live a balanced life. Easier said than done, though, right? Couldn't we just pop a pill that would do it all for us, while we lounged in our lawn chairs, sipping a cool drink?

That's the idea behind a new crop of beverages aimed at baby boomers. So-called "anti-aging drinks" such as Frutaiga, Viaviente, Himalayan Goji Juice and Rooibos tea promise to quench our thirst for longevity. With vitamins, minerals and herbal compounds designed to target the systems that deteriorate as we age, these drinks are essentially a tasty alternative to multivitamins or herbal tea blends – with a twist of savvy target marketing.

"It would be so nice if there was a product that would stop us from aging. But the truth is, every day we're 24 hours older," says Dr. Jennifer Anderson, who researches nutrition and aging at the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. "The good news is there are steps we can take to prevent disease, boost health and manage certain medical conditions. Eating well can make a big difference. If we eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and eat as many different colors as possible, we can do far more good than if we simply take a processed supplement or nutritional product," she says.

What's Wrong with Real Food?
Anderson believes eating unprocessed fruit and vegetables are safer and more effective than obtaining their nutrients in supplement form and notes that produce contains compounds no supplement can replicate. "Food is far more desirable than a supplement, because a single produce item can contain as many as 100 phytochemicals," chemical compounds that promote the health of our tissues, hormones, and systems. Anderson says, "We are still learning about phytochemicals; 900 have been discovered and there's more to come."

Still ... the Fountain of Youth
But Don Bodenbach, CEO and creator of the anti-aging beverage Frutaiga, says that his product has been formulated to take certain mysteries of the plant world into account. Based on the natural healing properties found in herbs and fruits native to the former Soviet Union's Georgian peninsula, an area known for its long-lived population, Frutaiga is formulated to counteract stress — which in turn should help improve health and well being.

"Frutaiga helps people achieve dramatic increases in their physical energy levels, as well as mental energy. Their mind works sharper and faster. When your physical energy is low, your sexual energy is also low, so Frutaiga also increases sexual vitality and energy."

That last item sounds like a reason to live longer, which is a reminder that sometimes wellness is a matter of attitude. "The cause of accelerated aging is stress," says Bodenbach. "The body gets debilitated and worn down by excess stress. If you improve the physical and mental aspects of a person, and their body is not suffering under the effects of stress, they are going to live longer and prevent a lot of diseases."

Plan B: A Balanced Approach
That's common-sense wisdom. But common sense points less to a miracle beverage and more to that old eat well/exercise/balanced life equation. After all, the fountain of youth has yet to be located, much less bottled.

Want more advice on aging well?

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